21Men’s grooming products are one of the beauty industry’s fastest-growing segments, with global revenues rising by anaverage of 6% a year since 2006—reaching almost $33 billion in 2011—according to Euromonitor International. In the U.S.,Mintel forecasts that men’s toiletries will be a $3.2 billion market by 2016, a $1 billion increase from 2006. (To see oursurvey data on which cosmetics men find acceptable for males today, see page 7 in “Gender Gets More Fluid.”)In May, Amazon launched a Men’s Groomingshop, featuring mass and high-end brandsin categories including skin care, body careand hair care. The site has a distinctblack-and-white design and includes how-to editorial content from Men’s Fitness.Male celebrities are starting to replacemodels in marketing for men’s cologne, inpart because “Ten years ago, it was quitedifficult for an actor to admit that theytake care of themselves,” Valeria Manini,managing director of Bulgari Perfums,told The New York Times. Now, “There’sno barrier anymore.” Bulgari enlisted EricBana as the face for the new fragranceMan Extreme.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Amazon; Bulgari

21Men’s grooming products are one

2WHAT WE’LL COVERREDEFINING MASCULINITY 1.
Gender gets more fluid 2. The image-conscious man 3. The multidimensional man 4. Retrosexuals 5. Men to admire 6. The new midlife crisisMAN OF THE HOUSE 7. Rise of the house-husband 8. Rise of the co-parent NAVIGATING THE NEW GENDER ORDER 9. Equal rights for…men? 10. Chivalry lives (mostly) INTRODUCTIONMETHODOLOGYAPPENDIX More about our experts/influencersA note to readers: To make the report easy to navigate, we’ve added hyperlinks to this page, so you can jump immediately to the items that mostinterest you (or, alternatively, you can read the material straight through).This is a report from JWTIntelligence. Go to JWTIntelligence.com to download this and other trend research.Image credits: Marian Berelowitz; ChrisGoldNY; petertandlund

3INTRODUCTIONMen’s fortunes are declining, or
so word has it. There was the “mancession”—in the U.S., men held more than three-quarters of the jobs lost during the economic crisis—and the 2012 book The End of Men: And the Rise of Women, whileLabour Party politician Diane Abbott recently declared a “crisis of masculinity” in the U.K. A book by comedian AdamCarolla frets that In Fifty Years We’ll All Be Chicks.Women are rising, but for men this is less the “end” than the driver of major shifts in gender roles, behavior, attitude andmindset. Some men are welcoming the new options that a less prescribed model of masculinity opens up. For others, thelack of a clear model for manhood is anxiety-producing, as are the new expectations to spend more time on everythingfrom child care to chores to skin care.As this report outlines, men are changing, in some cases quite significantly—but they’re in no danger of becoming “chicks.”Indeed, men are putting a masculine stamp on child care, housework and even skin care.This report examines three overarching themes: how masculinity is being redefined circa 2013, how men’s role in thehome is changing and how men are navigating the new gender order. Included throughout are findings from a survey weconducted in the U.S. and the U.K. and examples of how marketers are responding to new gender norms.

4METHODOLOGYThis report is the result
of quantitative, qualitative and desk research conducted by JWTIntelligence throughout the year.Specifically for this report, we conducted quantitative surveys in the U.S. and the U.K. using SONAR™, JWT’s proprietaryonline tool. We surveyed 1,000 adults (500 Americans and 500 Britons) from April 29-May 2, 2013.We also received input from JWT’s Planning Foresight group in London and planners and researchers around the globe,including Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Australia, Spain, Poland and Thailand. In addition, we interviewed experts andinfluencers in male trends.JON BERRY,VP, GfK Consumer Trends, GfK ConsumerExperiences North AmericaYANG-YI GOH,fashion editor, Sharp magazineARMANDO GOMEZ,director of advertising and promotions,AskMenBRAD HARRINGTON,executive director, Boston College Center forWork & Family, and professor, Carroll Schoolof ManagementANDY TU,SVP of marketing, Break MediaEXPERTS AND INFLUENCERS**See Appendix to learn more about these experts and influencers.

1. Gender gets more fluid2.
The image-conscious man3. The multidimensional man4. Retrosexuals5. Men to admire6. The new midlife crisisWhen “men were men,” as thesaying goes, masculinity was clearlydefined. Today, gender conventionsare blurring and men areformulating a more nuanced ideaof what it means to be a man. The“manly man” is portrayed winkinglythese days, even as retro elementsof masculinity enjoy a revival.5REDEFINING MASCULINITYImage credit: Marian Berelowitz

61. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDConventional
ideas about male and female domains, activities, behaviors and styles are evolving: We’re moving toward amore nuanced concept of gender that questions some stereotypes and revises old assumptions. Millennials are leading theway, less confined to traditional gender roles and more willing to break long-standing norms to express their individuality. AndGen Z is poised to hold the least rigidly defined view of gender as they reach adulthood.3/4of men agree that“Men and women don’t needto conform to traditionalroles and behaviors anymore”“Gender doesn’t define aperson as much as it used to”

71. GENDER GETS MORE FLUID“Guyliner”
or “manscara,”anyone? Millennial menare more likely to acceptproducts or habits associatedwith women’s groomingroutines. Two in 10 say noneof these are acceptable,vs. 3 in 10 men of oldergenerations.FIGURE 1A:What’s acceptable in groomingPercentage of American and British men who say each of the following is acceptable for men to use or doMillennials (18-34) Gen Xers (35-47) Boomers (48-67)Skin care(moisturizer,eye cream)54%605350Lip balm 39%393940Facials 24%322217Manicure 29%262833Waxing/hairremoval33%453322Eyebrowwaxing13%22134Foundation 9%1854Bronzer 11%16107Fake tan 19%221917Concealer 10%1667Eyeliner 6%1261None ofthese26%202930Nailvarnish9%1467

81. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDWhile
a significantpercentage of men don’tfind any of these fashionsacceptable for men to weartoday, some are creeping intothe mainstream, especiallyamong Millennials.FIGURE 1B:What’s acceptable in fashionPercentage of American and British men who say each of the following is acceptable for men to wearMillennials (18-34) Gen Xers (35-47) Boomers (48-67)Man bag 37%513228Figure shaperslike Spanx11%17106Pink or othertraditionally“girlish” colors36%394426Leggings 7%1425Two earrings 28%323022Shoe lifts 15%22915Women’s jeans 7%1236None of these 34%253443Deep V-neck T-shirts 38%473432Sarong 10%1676

91. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDIn
the 19th century, it was not uncommon for boys to wear dresses and have long hair until age 7 or so, yet by the middle ofthe next century, gender divisions were more clearly delineated from birth onward. Now, those norms are evolving, slowly,and people are becoming more open to letting boys defy convention if they choose to do so.Change is afoot. In response to a petition from a13-year-old girl that collected 40,000 signatures,Hasbro plans to release an Easy-Bake Ovenwith a gender-neutral design and packaging.When Harrods in London remodeled its huge ToyKingdom last year, it organized toys by themerather than gender. The U.K. group Let Toys BeToys is focused on “asking toy retailers to stoppromoting toys as only for girls or only for boys.”One Swedish kindergarten has gone so far as todiscourage kids from using gender-oriented words.61%“Traditional gender behaviors forchildren aren’t important; if boys wantto wear pink and girls want to play withtrucks, that’s fine with me”72% 79%MEN TOTAL MILLENNIAL MEN WOMEN

101. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDTwo
toy companies in Sweden, one of the most progressivenations when it comes to gender, made headlines last year forthe gender-neutral images in their catalogs. Top-Toy showeda boy playing with a baby doll and a girl shooting a Nerf gun.Leklust featured a boy in a Spider-Man costume pushing adoll carriage and a girl driving a toy tractor—creating aninternational sensation.

111. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDMillennials
are seeking more nuanced and fluid ideas about gender identity.With the acronym LGBT seen as too exclusionary, some are adopting“LGBTQIA” for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or transsexual, questioningor queer, intersex or intergender, ally or asexual. Despite its length, theacronym still fails to keep pace with the new mix-and-match take ongender and sexual identity. With a view that promotes freedom fromgender boundaries, Millennials are more willing than previous generationsto embrace whatever suits an individual best.Androgynous male model Andrej Pejić hasmodeled women’s clothing in magazinesand for the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier. “Iguess professionally I’ve left my genderopen to artistic interpretation,” hetold New York magazine. Last year FordModels’ male division signed a woman,Casey Legler, who has worn menswear forAll Saints, among other brands.If the gay-rights movement todayseems to revolve around same-sexmarriage, this [Millennial] generationis seeking something more radical: anupending of gender roles beyond thebinary of male/female. The corequestion isn’t whom they love, butwho they are—that is, identityas distinct from sexualorientation.”“GenerationLGBTQIA,” TheNew York Times,Jan. 9, 2013Pejić (right) withKarolina KurkovaImage credit: MMScene

121. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDMainstream
brands are broadening their styles and color palettes for men, crossingover into themes traditionally restricted to women’s wear. For instance, this seasonthere’s no shortage of retailers offering pink pants for men, from Uniqlo and JoeFresh to Express and Brooks Brothers. And J.Crew is selling a floral silk scarf forsummer. Meanwhile, men’s bracelets have gone mainstream, with jewelers likeDavid Yurman offering a wide selection.Image credits: J.Crew; David Yurman; Uniqlo

131. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDMore
men are taking to traditionally feminine activities, from cooking toknitting, as they seek to become more well-rounded and the stigma suchhobbies once carried for men fades. In Spain, for instance, men are seekingstatus via the pursuit of knowledge and development of skills, such asstudying history or learning to cook. Men are pursuing these activities on theirown terms. For example, men who cook will sometimes adopt professionalterminology, so “serving a meal” becomes “plating dishes.”And they can often be found buying the latest gadgets ortechnologies that go along with these hobbies.Image credits: Amazon [1], [2]Women no longer seemto harbor dreams of meetinga tough, macho alpha male.Now that women are workinghard, they seem to harbordreams of a guy who can whipup brunch in the morning.”SEO WON-YEA,team head of SouthKorean food cablechannel Olive, “Moremen don the apron,”The Korea Herald,April 26, 2013Something really interestinghas changed over the past decade: Foodand cooking has been climbing the list ofwhat men express as an interest of theirs.It’s practically dead even with cars now. Ina sense, the garage has moved inside andit’s a kitchen where men are findingexpressions of masculinity.”JON BERRY, VP,GfK ConsumerTrends

141. GENDER GETS MORE FLUIDOnce
considered the role of a woman, in Thailand cooking has become a trendy activityfor men as a way to show style and class, as well as appear family-oriented and evenromantic. Several cooking shows on TV are hosted by famous Thai actors. In a commercialfor Knorr’s Thai curry, a newlywed star couple is about to prepare a meal, with the mantaking the cooking role and the wife looking on approvingly.In Argentina, a commercial for Granja del Sol’s soy cutlets implores men to “Heed yourfeminine side” with humorous scenes of men enjoying less-than-masculine moments(moisturizing, singing soft rock ballads), leading up to a guy enjoying soy cutlets fordinner. The ad allows that “every man hassomething deep and secret inside: the feminineside,” something that can comfortably coexistwith the masculine side.Image credits: TvcThailandAd; Granja del Sol

15Image credit: MACWhile the word
“metrosexual” has faded away, the interest in fashion andbeauty care products that defined that cohort is now evident, to greateror lesser extents, among a wide swath of males. The constant sharingof photos on social media and the hyper-competitiveness of job marketsare helping to drive pressure on men to look their best: fashionable,well-groomed and in shape.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANGuys are starting to take a littlebit more pride in their appearance and aremore willing to dress up on occasions that theymight not have to. They are seeing the valuein looking and feeling their best. There is thisantiquated notion that it’s manlier to not careabout the way you look. Now, more guys arestarting to realize that when you look good,you feel good. That is an idea that isreally starting to catch on.”YANG-YI GOH,fashion editor,Sharp magazineThe world has come to adifferent place now when itcomes to men taking care ofthemselves. I think more menspend more time lookingin the mirror thanwomen do.”MAC makeupartist JOHN S.,instructional video,via The DailyBeast, May 14,2013

16Men say that today males
are under more pressure than in the past to present a polished image and, in fact, face thesame level of expectation in this regard as women.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MAN76%of men agree“These days, there’s morepressure than in the pastfor men to dress welland be well-groomed”73%of men agree“These days, there is as muchpressure on men to dresswell and be well-groomed asthere is on women”78%of men agree“These days, there is as muchpressure on men to stayin shape/have a good bodyas there is on women”

172. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANFIGURE 2A:Men’s
appearance anxietiesPercentage of American and Britishmen who say the following areas oftheir appearance cause them anxiety40%BEER BELLY33%LOVEHANDLES32%SIX-PACK30%MAN BOOBS29%MUSCLETONE28%HAIR LOSS17%EXCESSIVEHAIR17%NONE OFTHESE14%HEIGHT14%NOSE28%WRINKLES

18Men are more aware than
ever of trends in clothing and accessories, thanks largely toan explosion in online resources. With fashion blogs as inspiration, fashion columnsas guides and online retailers as enablers, male consumers can easily see what’sin style, receive feedback and then purchase at their convenience. “For thelast couple of years, men gave women a run fortheir money at retail [in the U.S.], withgrowth in sales of men’s apparelconsistently outpacing growth inwomen’s,” notes The NPD Group’sMarshal Cohen in an Aprilreport (although 2012 was anexception to this trend).As men get comfortable withfashion, they’re becomingopen to less conventionalchoices, and mainstreambrands are starting to pushsome edgier options.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANThere are style-savvymoves today that are acceptable thatmaybe your average guy wouldn’t havethought to try three or four years ago. Wejust had a photo shoot that was devotedto floral patterns for spring—whether it iswearing a floral shirt with a suit and tie ortrying out floral shorts. Guys are morewilling to take risks today.”YANG-YI GOH,fashion editor,Sharp magazineThe frumpy Dockers and the men’sversion of mom jeans and the oversizeshirts billowing like jibs have been baggedup and shipped to Goodwill. Even dot-comgeeks have slowly begun moving away fromthe hoodies and sneakers, knit-hat-and-sweatshirt Smurf look. In Silicon Valleythese days, the stealth signifier ofstatus is that throwback to the glorydays of haberdashery: brightlypatterned socks.”“The Rise of theWell-Dressed Man,”T: The New York TimesStyle Magazine,Feb. 27, 2013

19Online retailers like Bonobos, Frank
& Oak and JackThreadsoffer on-trend menswear at affordable prices, expandingthe horizons of men who might be unable to find similargoods at local stores and providing curated selections thatmake shopping easier. Bonobos, in particular, has flourished,raising more than $70 million in funding, venturing into thephysical world and partnering with Nordstrom.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credit: BonobosFrom the dapper suitson AMC’s Mad Men to theimpeccably dressed stars ofhip-hop and the NBA, today’sfashionisto favors artisanal,well-tailored clothingthat fits the way it’ssupposed to.”“From schlubto stud: Men step uptheir style,” San JoseMercury News,April 13, 2013

20For men who don’t have
the time, eye or patience for shopping but want a sharperwardrobe, subscription services employ stylists to put together personalized selections.Companies such as Trunk Club, Five Four and Bombfell ask customers an initial series ofquestions to determine their style, and subscribers pay only for what they keep. TrunkClub, a forerunner in this space, projects sales of $40 million in 2013.For designer apparel, Mr Porter carries more than 170 of the “world’s leading brands,”attracting 1.6 million monthly unique visitors. As of 2011, men account for more than40% of the luxury goods market, up from 35% in 1995, according to Bain & Co.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Trunk Club; Mr Porter1/3OF MENsay they actively choose toportray a particular look andstyle themselves carefullyto maintain it

21Men’s grooming products are one
of the beauty industry’s fastest-growing segments, with global revenues rising by anaverage of 6% a year since 2006—reaching almost $33 billion in 2011—according to Euromonitor International. In the U.S.,Mintel forecasts that men’s toiletries will be a $3.2 billion market by 2016, a $1 billion increase from 2006. (To see oursurvey data on which cosmetics men find acceptable for males today, see page 7 in “Gender Gets More Fluid.”)In May, Amazon launched a Men’s Groomingshop, featuring mass and high-end brandsin categories including skin care, body careand hair care. The site has a distinctblack-and-white design and includes how-to editorial content from Men’s Fitness.Male celebrities are starting to replacemodels in marketing for men’s cologne, inpart because “Ten years ago, it was quitedifficult for an actor to admit that theytake care of themselves,” Valeria Manini,managing director of Bulgari Perfums,told The New York Times. Now, “There’sno barrier anymore.” Bulgari enlisted EricBana as the face for the new fragranceMan Extreme.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Amazon; Bulgari

22Skin care and cosmetics companies
like Jack Black andMënaji aim to appeal to men without triggering associationswith women’s cosmetics, naming products with “manly”monikers such as The Defensive Line and Urban Camouflage.Similar to fashion subscriptions for men, companies suchas Birchbox Man and Urban Cargo send subscribers boxesof curated sample grooming products. Men’s groomingbrand Kyoku for Men has a subscription service for itsown products.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Mënaji; Birchbox Man

23South Korea: South Korea is
one of the largest consumersof men’s skin care products, claiming about a fifth ofworldwide sales. In 2012, South Korean men spent nearly$500 million on skin care products alone, according toEuromonitor International. Some men are even embracingmakeup—the AP terms South Korea the “male makeupcapital of the world”—as a way to make strong firstimpressions and stand out in a competitive job market. (TheAP explains that “effeminate male beauty” signals socialsuccess.) Korean Air holds an annual makeup class for itsmale flight attendants.China: China has seen a dramatic rise in men’s cosmetics salesin the past five years, with a market that is worth almost $1billion. This year Euromonitor estimates a 13.4% increase inmen’s grooming sales, which are rising faster than overallpersonal care products. And between 2008 and 2011, themen’s fragrances market grew 20%, per Mintel. According toKantar Worldpanel, Chinese men take greater care in theirgrooming routines than European men, using more productsmore frequently. “Younger male consumers are shifting awayfrom their conservative traditions,” says a Mintel analyst.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Laneige; GilletteSome Asian markets are emerging as major consumers of men’s cosmetic products. A look at four of these:

24India: The men’s segment accounts
for around a third of India’s cosmeticsmarket, according to research company RNCOS. Teenagers are helping todrive a forecast annual growth rate of 18% for men’s cosmetics between2011 and 2015. Kline & Co. puts 2012 growth for the male groomingproducts market at 32%. Men are now buying skin lighteners—long popularwith women—such as Garnier Men’s PowerLight, which promises “a fairnessperformance so intense that you can now measure it.” Some Indian citieshave even seen the emergence of makeup classes for men.Thailand: Thailand also has seen increasedinterest in men’s cosmetics. Ads for awhitening face scrub from Vaseline featurea martial artist using the product for afilm, maintaining his masculinity whileearning the crew’s admiration. Targetingthe younger men who are driving this trend,a series of ads for cosmetics company andclinic Wuttisak star the K-pop boy bandB1A4, showcasing their unblemished skin.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Garnier; Wuttisak

25Spas and cosmetic clinics go
hand in hand with a greater focus on grooming and looks in general. “Look for far morespas to build out comprehensive, for-men ‘beauty’ menus—male waxing and threading services and man-gearedcosmetic procedures,” according to SpaFinder’s trends for 2013. Rarely seen in American spas 25 years ago, men nowaccount for about 30% of U.S. spa visitors, according to Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credit: Courthouse ClinicsA lot of guys have always thought ofthe spa as a women’s realm, as the placewhere your mom or your girlfriend disappearsto on a Sunday when you’re watching football.And guys who are starting to take more of aninterest in the way they look, they’re starting torealize that maybe it is OK for me to go spend alittle more money on a haircut, maybe it is OKto get a facial every once in a while just tofreshen up, or spend a little money on agreat straight-razor shave.”YANG-YI GOH,fashion editor,Sharp magazineIn 2012, American men underwent 1.25 million cosmeticprocedures, a 5% year-over-year increase. Since 2000,cosmetic procedures for men have increased by 22%,according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Lastyear, male patients for Botox increased by 27% over 2011,per a study by the American Academy of Facial Plasticand Reconstructive Surgery. In the U.K., the founder ofCourthouse Clinics, a chain with 10 branches, has cited a 40%increase in Botox for men over the last year.

26In Venezuela, rapidly expanding barbershop
franchise Only for Men offersservices such as facials and manicures. Only for Men describes itself as “theinterpretation of a new generation of men who value appearance and healthas a means to achieve success in all areas of life.”In Australia, the QT hotel in Sydney opened with a men’s barber and dayspa, featuring treatments tailored toward men.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credits: Only for Men; The Versatile Gent

27“Thinspo” and “thinspiration” now have
counterpartsembraced by males: “fitspo” and “fitspiration,” appliedto inspirational photos for men looking to craft sculptedbodies. It seems that men are under more pressure toshowcase a muscular physique. Hollywood’s leading menare more chiseled and buff than ever, and hunks arepopulating advertising as well, even if they’re depicted witha wink (e.g., the Old Spice spokesmen, Kraft’s Zesty Guyand new Diet Dr Pepper star Josh Button).Boys are becoming more concerned with body image ata younger age, according to a U.S. study published inPediatrics. A study in the U.K. found that 78% of menwished they were more muscular. In Argentina, gymshave seen enrollment increases thanks to maletourists looking to work out before hitting the beach.2. THE IMAGE-CONSCIOUS MANImage credit: Powerful YogurtWe guys now have to compareourselves to impossible bodies, fromthe vampires who have gotten leanon an all-‘Tru Blood’ diet to Schmidt’sadorkable abs on the New Girl. ... It’salmost like we American men areexperiencing the body-image issuesthat have so long been thebane of … Americanwomen.”“Hollywood’sNew Arms Race,”The Wall StreetJournal, April 26,2013The new brand PowerfulYogurt—a male-targetedGreek yogurt—promisesto help men “Find yourinner abs.”

283. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MANAs gender
conventions fall away, men are coming to a more nuanced idea of masculinity that’s less hard charging and careerfocused, more well-rounded and family focused—even in cultures where a macho or “bloke” ethos has prevailed. At a timewhen professional men’s sports have largely applauded an NBA player’s coming-out, masculinity is no longer synonymous withwomanizing or other uber-heterosexual traits. Indeed, pop culture has little room for menwho espouse such traits, unless they’re presented ironically or as the butt of jokes.We’ve seen Project Xbe big and 21 & Over have itsplace. But the idea that you canlive that way in your regular life isabsolutely passé—the idea that I’mgoing to be a Stifler forever or bookslike I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,which was popular during therise of the lad mag cultureand Maxim.”ANDY TU,SVP ofmarketing,Break MediaI’ve been so proud to be apart of this segment of athletichistory, because we are takingthis on and we are redefiningmasculinity and showing a newdimension of masculinitythat I’m so proud tobe a part of.”DOMONIQUEFOXWORTH, presidentof the National FootballLeague Players Association,on basketball player JasonCollins outing himself,Face the Nation, CBS,May 5, 2013

293. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MANInstead yousee
these male characterslike on New Girl. It’s not aboutguys getting the girls, it’s about guysbeing supportive and there for theirgirl roommate who’s their friend. Andyou see [Modern Family] characterslike Phil Dunphy, who is very intouch with his daughters.”Five years ago, you still had thingslike Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Menand the David Spade character [on Rules ofEngagement] being these sleazy guys. I don’tknow that they get away with that anymore.It’s funny that the guy that’s predominantly inthat role now on TV is Neil Patrick Harris,and he almost gets away with it becauseeverybody knows it’s tongue in cheek,that’s not who he is when hewalks off camera.Image credit: New YorkTHENNOWANDY TU,SVP ofmarketing,Break Media

303. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MANFIGURE 3A:What
defines men todayPercentage of American and British men who say the following factors are among “the primary things that define men today”7065645756555249484343Being a “gentleman”/good mannersKeeping his wordHis personal valuesHis knowledge/intelligenceHis ability to make decisionsFinancial support for familyEmotional support for familyParenting abilitiesHis life experiencesCareer successHandyman skills212118173116261324823Physical strengthHow much money he makesPower in the workplaceHis attractivenessAbility to bond over sportsComfort with his feminine sideNavigational skillsThe car he drivesAttractiveness of his significant otherWhat he eatsNumber of sexual conquestsWhat makes a man? Being a man circa 2013 is much less about power, literally and figuratively, and more about beinghonorable. The size of his paycheck is far less important on its own than the ability to support his family—and being a goodparent is a bigger defining factor of manhood than career success.

313. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MANRecent research
paints men as aspiring to bewell-rounded and upstanding. A 2012 U.S.study by Break Media, a companythat creates and distributesmale-targeted online content,declares: “Today’s man is amensch,” defining the Yiddishword as a “good guy” or“someone to admire andemulate.”JON BERRY, VP,GfK ConsumerTrendsANDY TU,SVP ofmarketing,Break MediaThere’s a well-roundedness thatmen aspire to today. For a study we didfor Men’s Health magazine, we talked withmen about the traits that they most aspireto. They are, in order: being happy, confident,easygoing, self-reliant, hardworking, practical,fun-loving, well-informed, disciplined, open tonew ideas and well-rounded. That suggestsmen are moving towards an expressionof self that’s not either/or, black andwhite—you can be hardworkingand easygoing.”In our survey, thesame things kept floating to the top:being well-rounded and good-hearted.And people in our studies that werefathers, No. 1 by far was being a goodfather. The common thread is, men aretrying to be good guys, tryingto do what’s right.”

323. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MAN“Men Gone
Mild!” exclaimed a New York Post headline lastyear, accompanying an article that explained “why moreguys are sowing their not-at-all-wild oats at G-rated bachelorparties.” In Australia, home of “bloke” culture, The SydneyMorning Herald reports that “Bachelor parties and boys’nights out are being replaced with talking circles, healthspas and men-only workshops.” Clearly men are expressingmasculinity in new ways. Among these are adventures bigand small (think Tough Mudder or a quest to find the bestbarbecue).Recent years have seen the rise of military-style athleticchallenges like Tough Guy in the U.K., Tough Bloke inAustralia and U.S.-based Tough Mudder. The latter is a 3-year-old company that’s holdingaround 50 events this yearin several countries and hasplans to expand further.The company says 700,000people (mostly men) haveparticipated in its hardcoreobstacle events, severalof which have sold outthis year.It’s what we call ‘small adventures’—what’s happening in men’s downtime.Leisure and downtime is where men are goingto express masculinity. … Nobody calls theirbuddy and says, ‘Hey, let’s grab a beer.’ They calltheir buddy and say, ‘Let’s go find this craft beerthat they only have one keg of in our city, andlet’s go find the great burger that’s in a shedbehind a gas station that we know about.’ It’staking the ordinary and turning it into theextraordinary. And that feels likea very guy-only zone.”ANDY TU,SVP ofmarketing,Break MediaImage credit: Tough Mudder

333. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MAN“Today, who
is really a macho?” asks the dramatic voiceover for a humorous Coca-Cola Light commercial from Latin America.“The strongest? A man who never cries? A man who dates 20 women at a time? No! Macho is the one who is in a five-yearrelationship. … Macho is a man who runs in tights, who can admit there are more attractive men than him, who knows how todo the laundry, who gets up at 4 a.m. to change diapers.” Ultimately, “macho” is a guy who brings Coca-Cola Light to a party“and couldn’t care less what others think of him.”In Mexico—where this commercial provedcontroversial—a Coca-Cola Light promotion had aman wishing happy anniversary to his girlfriend onthe field after a soccer match; “Macho is … saying‘I love you’ in front of thousands of people in astadium,” says the video.Image credit: Coca-Cola

343. THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL MANAnother low-calorie
drink provides an interesting case study.In 2011, Dr Pepper Ten launched in the U.S. as a male-targeted light soda with the tagline “It’s not for women.”Commercials showed “aggressive, action-movie hero-likemen racing through the jungle swigging cans of the soda,”as the youth market research firm YPulse describes it.Consumers took offense, while the message “did not meshwith the kind of masculinity that Gen Y men have cultivatedfor themselves,” notes YPulse. This year the brand adopteda tongue-in-cheek, ironic approach, following the pathforged by Old Spice. “The manliest low calorie soda in thehistory of mankind” is the tagline, and a commercial showsa mountain man engaging in over-the-top endeavors likecanoeing with a bear.Similarly, in the U.K, male-targeted chocolate bar Yorkiehad used the tagline “Not for girls” since 2001. But “likewatching reruns of [U.K. sitcom] Men Behaving Badly, thejoke was actually over” a decade later, reads a case studyfrom JWT, the Nestlé brand’s agency. A successful campaignby JWT London that launched in 2012 carries the slogan“Man fuel for man stuff,” humorously showing a man haulingall the groceries from the car in one batch as if it were anaction hero’s feat.Image credit: Dr Pepper; Yorkie

354. RETROSEXUALSWith gender divisions getting
blurry, some men—and especially Millennials—are looking to the past for inspiration on style andskills from generations where male identity was more distinctively expressed. And while ultra-masculine behavior has becomeless acceptable in society, it can be expressed more harmlessly in style choices or retro activities.In some sense, guys arelooking for a more stable era wheremasculinity was more defined. I don’tnecessarily think that means they’re adopting allof it. They’re smart and objective enough to lookat Mad Men and not think, ‘I should be cheating onmy wife.’ But they’re taking the cooler aspectsof it, maybe in terms of the way Don Drapergrooms himself or the old-fashionedshe drinks, and using them as away to bolster their ownmasculine identity.”YANG-YI GOH,fashion editor,Sharp magazineWe asked men to choose men they admire from a list of 30prominent names. Sean Connery came in at No. 2, behindBill Gates and just ahead of Barack Obama. Further down thelist, Frank Sinatra narrowly edged out Bill Clinton, GeorgeClooney and Brad Pitt.**For a full list of results, see page 44 in “Men to Admire” section.

364. RETROSEXUALSMany Millennial men feel
nostalgic for a masculinity of the past and even out of step with the way it’s expressed today—moreso than their elders.51% 58% 38% 38%“It feels like my idea ofwhat it means to be aman is no longer widelyaccepted in society”“Men seem less masculinethan in the past”“Men can’t be ‘men’anymore”“I feel like there aren’tmany opportunities to do‘guy stuff’ today”58% 65% 50% 53%Percentage of American and British men who agreeMEN TOTAL MEN TOTAL MEN TOTAL MEN TOTALMILLENNIAL MEN MILLENNIAL MEN MILLENNIAL MEN MILLENNIAL MEN

374. RETROSEXUALSMen are taking fashion
cues from various bygone eras, a countertrend to today’s gender-blurred fashions (e.g., “boyfriend”shirts for women, pink jeans for men). And some grooming habits have also gone retro, at the same time that men areembracing new categories of grooming products. Meanwhile, activities and skills like coopering (making whiskey), butcheringand woodworking are making a comeback among a hip young crowd.Image credit: Friends With Both ArmsBritish folk rockband Mumford &Sons has found masssuccess with its old-timey sensibility.

384. RETROSEXUALSImage credit: Justin TimberlakeAfter
working with designer Tom Ford on an image makeover,Justin Timberlake now comes off as “a new Cary Grant,” asThe New York Times puts it. He wears a tux with bowtie on thecover of his latest album; its first single is titled “Suit & Tie.”If in style terms Mr. Timberlakehas suddenly hit stride, he does so in stepwith a generation of contemporaries, menwhose early style models ran a grim gamutfrom Tim Allen to Snoop Doggy Dogg. Raised onDockers and sweat pants and the slobfest thatwas Casual Friday, that same generationhas now stampeded in the direction ofan indestructible form of malearmor: the suit.”“JustinTimberlake, He’sAll Dressed Up,”The New YorkTimes, March 21,2013

394. RETROSEXUALSHirsute looks that harken
back to faces of the past havemade a comeback. Mustaches are on the upswing, driven inpart by the success of Movember, the men’s-health charityinitiative that originated in Australia. With Bollywood actorsadopting handlebar mustaches, “what was once considereda sign of rustic machismo has now become a roaring stylestatement” in India, per the Daily Mail. And the type ofhearty facial hair that has popped up in the latest season ofMad Men, set in 1968, has become a more common sight.Image credits: Movember & Sons; Brooklyn Grooming2012’s Movember drive, titled “Movember& Sons,” featured a retro look and told mento learn from “the collective knowledge ofgenerations.” The small company BrooklynGrooming caters to local beards.

404. RETROSEXUALSImage credits: Brooklyn Beefsteak;
The Art of Manliness [1], [2]“Beefsteaks” were an old New York tradition that involved a hall of dinersdrinking beer and eating sirloin without utensils. Two Millennial men haverevived the idea in Brooklyn over the past few years. Not surprisingly, “thecrowd was mostly male: young, shaggy, preferring flannel shirts,” reportedThe New York Times in 2011.Since it launched in 2008, the Art of Manliness blog has amassed 100,000-plussubscribers, according to the couple who run it. Their aim: “helping men bebetter husbands, better fathers, and better men” by looking “to the past tofind examples of manliness in action.”

414. RETROSEXUALSImage credits: Dollar Shave
Club; Barbasol“Your handsome-ass grandfather had one blade—and polio!” declaresDollar Shave Club co-founder Michael Dubin as he dismisses high-tech bladesin a promotional video that has more than 10 million YouTube views. Therazor-shipping startup makes a case for basic razors by harking back to oldertimes: “Shaving should be simple,” reads the website. “It sure usedto be. Look at old photos of your father & grandfather.”A U.S. campaign for shaving cream brand Barbasol, which launched inJanuary, harkens back to archetypes of manly men using a lightly irreverent,tongue-in-cheek tone. Commercials show a pioneer of the mid-19th century,a baseball player in 1920 and a World War II soldier speaking to their maledescendants of 2013, good-naturedly mocking them. Says the pioneer,“We’re on the Oregon Trail. You’re on a … juice cleanse?” He closes with,“Listen, Juicebox, if you’re not going to eat like a man, could you at leastshave like a man?”

424. RETROSEXUALSImage credit: SoloThe lemony
soft drink Solo has been positioned as a masculinebeverage since its launch in Australia some 40 years ago, withcommercials showing Solo Man deftly canoeing and rafting. In 2012,Schweppes revived the action hero after a long absence, but this timeshowing the “Original Thirst Crusher,” a woodchopper who discovers“a magical lemon tree and its thirst-crushing power.” Accompanied byan old-timey version of Solo’s jingle, the spot reinforces the brand’sheritage in an ironic and somewhat subversive way—today this manlyhero belongs more to the past than the present, and isn’t to be takentoo seriously.

43Today’s male icons tend to
be men who offer something extrabeyond their most noteworthy accomplishments. When weasked men whom they admire from a list of 30 names, the topchoice was Bill Gates—known for his phenomenal success andfortune as well as his focus on philanthropy. In sports, DavidBeckham ranked high, a star player who’s also seen as a styleicon, family man and do-gooder. Also well-regardedare celebrities like George Clooney and BradPitt, who are multitalented—they direct and/or produce as well—and serious about socialcauses.Ultimately, however, dad still knows best:In open-ended responses, men were mostlikely to name a father or father figure(stepfather, grandfather, etc.) as the manthey most admire.5. MEN TO ADMIREMen are … looking to becomebetter men across the board, aspiringto be modern Renaissance men, ifyou will. For example, Jon Stewart ismuch more than the funny host of TheDaily Show. He’s an accomplishedbroadcaster, published author,comedian, political analyst,husband and father.”ARMANDOGOMEZ, directorof advertisingand promotions,AskMen[Barack Obama] eats dinnerwith his family almost everynight. … He must understand howmuch that gesture represents theideal of a new masculinity—he’sa father as much as he isa president.”STEPHENMARCHE, “WhyFatherhoodMatters,” Esquire,June/July 2013

455. MEN TO ADMIREIn open-ended
responses, men cited Gates’ wealth/success as well as hisphilanthropy/generosity as the reason for naming him. Representing the nextgeneration of tech entrepreneur, Mark Zuckerberg falls much lower on thelist—perhaps because the public sees him as more one-dimensional than a figurelike Richard Branson (who popped up in open-ended responses), viewed as“intelligent, driven, successful, adaptable, levelheaded, balanced” by oneGen X respondent. Other write-ins included rags-to-richesBritish magnate Alan Sugar and Apple iconSteve Jobs.No.1Bill Gates35%OF MENsaid they considerentrepreneurs their role modelsvs. 24% who said athletesIn a 2011AskMen poll,Today’s men admire those,like [Steve] Jobs, who breakthe mold; who see the risksand take them anyway,achieving success on theirown individualterms.” RICARDOPOUPADA, generalmanager and co-founderof AskMen.com, “MeetMen’s New Role Models,”Advertising Age,Aug. 9, 2011

465. MEN TO ADMIREMen voted
for a range of dominant athletes, including RogerFederer (seen as a “great sportsman but [also] really niceguy”), Usain Bolt, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady. But Beckhamstands out for not only his professional merits but his style andlooks (“sexy bastard,” wrote in one respondent), his standingas a family man and his charity work.Beckham was also ahead of his time in his open-mindedness,breaking sports taboos by posing for a gay magazine a decadeago and unabashedly exploring his feminine side. “It is almostas if he was on a one-man mission to obliterate the one-dimensional caricature of masculinity that had taken root inthe 1970s and 1980s,” wrote columnist Matthew Syed in TheTimes after Beckham announced his retirement from footballin May.No.5David BeckhamImage credit: H&M

475. MEN TO ADMIRESome of
today’s leading actors are more than just handsome faces who can carry a movie—theywrite, direct and/or produce films, campaign earnestly for humanitarian causes and dabblein other fields (Brad Pitt has designed a furniture collection). They’re more apt to be familyguys than ladies’ men, George Clooney aside. Take People’s current “sexiest man alive,”Channing Tatum, who “is married, produces his own movies and does quiet work for animal andenvironmental charities,” noted The New York Times in March. The Times observed that Argodirector Ben Affleck, who advocates for the conflict-ridden Eastern Congo, now embodies “anew Hollywood paradigm for masculinity.”Other qualities that men admire in today’s celebrities? Break Media exec Andy Tu says JosephGordon-Levitt popped out in the company’s research: He seems down-to-earth (men say, “Ithink I’d be friends with him if we were hanging out”); he’s multitalented, showing off hisdancing skills on Saturday Night Live and playing a wide range of characters; and importantly,“he’s very comfortable in his own skin, he’s very well-balanced.”Jon Berry of GfK cites the same phrase, noting Dove has used it for the Men+Care line: “Whenyou look at the popular culture, some of the men who are most successful, there is a senseof being comfortable in your own skin. … People like George Clooney or Derek Jeter or MarkZuckerberg or that whole class of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who became billionaires but stillwear hoodies, still have that easygoing ethic.”Sharp magazine fashion editor Yang-Yi Goh singles out Ryan Gosling, who epitomizes modernstylishness but is equally a convincing tough guy. “He obviously takes care of himself, and that’sthe kind of guy that, 10 years ago, maybe people would have poked fun at his metrosexuality,”says Goh. “People are also aware that he’s a badass—he’s in Drive, he’s kicking people’s asses.”No.8George ClooneyNo.12Brad PittNo.15Ben Affleck

486. THE NEW MIDLIFE CRISISThe
classic midlife crisis looks different at a time when midlife can mean many different things for men, who today might begrandfathers or new fathers at this age, and variably reaping the benefits of success or battling a tough job market. “It’s not aone-size-fits-all type of response that’s happening today,” says Jon Berry, VP of GfK Consumer Trends. He points to a phrase thecompany coined: “People talk about the twentysomethings and thirtysomethings; when you get in your 50s, it’s more like the‘fifty-anything.’ People go in all different directions.” A few of those directions:Battling back with lifestyle drugs: “AreTestosterone Drugs the New Viagra?” askedBloomberg Businessweek in a headline lastyear, reporting that testosterone replacementprescriptions had more than doubled between2006 and 2011 (to 5.6 million) in the U.S. and thatGlobal Industry Analysts forecasts sales to tripleby 2017. “Millions of men 45 or older may havelow T,” says an ad from Abbott (which marketsAndroGel), asking men, “Feeling like a shadowof your former self?” A chain of clinics thatadminister testosterone injections, Ageless Men’sHealth, opened in 2007 and now has 20-plus branches around the U.S.Spike in suicide rates: Suicide among American men in their 50s rose by almost 50% between 1999 and 2010, according torecent news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some theorize this is due to the pressures of the economicdownturn, difficulty dealing with rapid social change and/or loss of social support systems (suicide is higher among whitemen, who tend to have less religious and family support than other groups). In England, middle-aged males “are now thegroup at highest risk of committing suicide,” the BBC reported last year.Image credit: Abbott

496. THE NEW MIDLIFE CRISISNew
focus on fitness: The acronym MAMILs—middle-aged men in Lycra—popped up a few years ago after a Mintel report that bike sales among Britishmen 35-44 were spiking. “Has the silence of skinny tyres and carbon fibreframesets replaced the thunderous noise of motorbikes?” asked the BBC. Theterm has lingered and migrated to Australia, where “Fitness is attacked likea personal project” among this demographic, withtriathlons the “pinnacle” of the challenge,writes Rebecca Huntley, director of theIpsos Mackey Report.More involved grandparents:“The generation that invented‘helicopter parenting’ is movinginto its grandparenting years,”as Reuters notes. And muchas today’s fathers play a morecentral role in their kids’ lives,grandfathers will become moreactively involved.One of those things thatpoints away from the traditionalexpression of a midlife crisisand acting out in some way is agrowing appreciation of being agrandparent and changing yourlifestyle to accommodategrandchildren.”JON BERRY, VP,GfK ConsumerTrendsRobert Smigel and Paul Rudd areMAMILs in the 2012 film This Is 40.

7. Rise of the house-husband8.
Rise of the co-parentThe household is becoming moregender-neutral as men bothembrace a more active role andget pushed into it out of necessity.Shared responsibility—in terms ofhousehold tasks and child care—isthe new ethos. Men aren’t yetdoing an equal share, but they’rejust as concerned as women aboutachieving a work-life balance.MAN OF THE HOUSEImage credit: ChrisGoldNY 50

51Image credit: TideWith gender roles
blurring and many women working as much as or more than their partners, men are inevitably moreinvolved in household management. As our research shows, this doesn’t yet mean true household equity, but brands mustchange course as men do more household shopping and take on more routine domestic chores.7. RISE OF THE HOUSE-HUSBANDThis Tide product now targets maleshoppers with New Orleans Saintsquarterback Drew Brees on the label.There is now a greatersense of shared responsibilityfor domestic life. Young menare realizing they have to domore at home than theirfathers did, and today’syoung men wantto do so.”STEW FRIEDMAN,management professor,Wharton School, “NewResearch on WorkingParenthood,” HBRBlog Network,Oct. 4, 2012MORE THANTWICEas much housework as theydid in 1965, according to thePew Research CenterWe’ve come a long way sinceMad Men: American fathers do

52Guys are tackling more household
tasksonce deemed women’s work, but theyseem to be overestimating just howmuch they do and how well they’redoing it. Whereas three-quarters of menwe surveyed gave themselves an A or aB grade for performance of householdresponsibilities, just over half of womenawarded their partners those highermarks—while 23% give their partnersa very poor D or F.When it comes to how much men tackle,the gender gap in perception is a wideone, as the charts on the following twopages illustrate. For instance, 80% ofmen say they are primarily responsiblefor taking out the garbage, whereas 44%of women see themselves as primarilyresponsible for this task. Or take groceryshopping and cooking: About half ofmen believe they are largely responsiblefor these jobs, vs. fewer than 10% ofwomen who say their partner is the maingrocery shopper and cook.7. RISE OF THE HOUSE-HUSBANDFIGURE 7A:Grading men on household workHow American and British men grade themselves on performance of householdresponsibilities and how American and British women grade their spouse or significant other100%90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%18612417615341941How men grade themselvesHow women grade their spousesI’m alwayson top of it,and I do agreat jobI’m mostlyon top of it,and I do adecent jobI help out,but I’m notso good atthis type ofthingI pitch inoccasionallyI almostneverpitch inA B C D F

55One sign that the home
has become a more equal domain: Wedding registries now reflect more of the groom’s preferences.High-end cutlery and barware have become more popular kitchen items on registries, along with camping gear, electronicsand barbecue grills. The Man Registry is a website that features tips for grooms and a gift registry with male-centric productslike grills and tools.More products are geared to men who aren’t well-versed in householdtasks. One reason Procter & Gamble launched its single-serve product TidePods last year was to alleviate women’s unease about men putting thewrong amount of detergent in the washing machine. And the message withP&G’s Swiffer mops and dusters is “no matter who is behind the handle,you’ll get the result that you expect,” as a brand marketing director toldThe Wall Street Journal. “Man Up, Clean Up,” a funny 2012 campaign forSwiffer, included mock how-tovideos featuring an eccentricolder man.7. RISE OF THE HOUSE-HUSBANDImage credits: The Man Registry; SwifferGROCERYSTORE TRIP,In 2012 men spentan average of $36.26 perversus $27.49 in 2004,according to Nielsen

568. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTDads
are taking a co-starring (or even leading) role when it comes to caring for kids, even if we’re still a long way from genderparity. As families come to rely less on dad’s financial contribution, his emotional support is becoming more important—andattempting to provide both is causing many fathers to struggle with work-life balance. Meanwhile, brands are belatedlyadjusting their portrayal of dads from clueless to competent.2/3of menWould stay home full-timewith their family if theycould afford toWish they could change theirwork schedule to betteraccommodate their familyI don’t think we’ll be at 50/50 soon, Idon’t think it may ever be quite equal, butwe are moving toward a model where menand women see themselves as partners in thisprocess. Both parents are going to want and needto play a much more active role in the raising oftheir children. The need to do that is obvious,given that 40 years ago the vast majorityof American families were two-parenthouseholds, and one of the parentswas home full time.”BRADHARRINGTON,executive director,Boston CollegeCenter for Work& Family

57TRIPLEDAmerican fathershave nearlytheir time spent
on child caresince 1965, from 2.5 hours aweek to 7.3 hours, accordingto the Pew Research CenterIKUMENIn Japan, the wordwas coined to describevery engaged fathers(loosely meaning “men whorear children”)There is a dramatic cultural shift amongMillennial and Gen Xers in wanting to beinvolved fathers. And I don’t just think it’s justwomen who are telling men they need to share.Men want a different relationship with theirchildren than men have had in the past....They don’t want to be stick figures in theirchildren’s lives. They don’t want iton their tombstone how manyhours they billed.”Ellen Galinsky,president and co-founder, Families andWork Institute, “WhyMen Still Can’t Have ItAll,” Esquire, June/July 2013Image credit: Amazon8. RISE OF THE CO-PARENT

588. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTWith
moms’ earnings key to supporting many families and fathers devoting more time to their role, dads are joining moms at theemotional heart of the family. “There certainly is a different attitude that ‘father’ doesn’t equal just somebody who provides—puts food on the table … and then is hands-off,” says Brad Harrington of the Boston College Center for Work & Family.In our survey, men were almost equally likely to see emotional support for family as a primary definer of men today (52%) asthey were to name financial support (55%), once the traditional defining factor of being a man. And half of men named parentingabilities as one of the primary factors defining men.Marketers are starting to showcase the father’s emotional supportand engagement in his child’s life, sometimes to tear-jerking effect.In Google Chrome’s “Dear Sophie,” for instance, a dad uses Web toolsto log memories of his daughter as she grows up, emailing them forher to see once she’s grown. “We felt so helpless,” he recalls of ahigh fever and later writes, “I can’t wait to share these [emails] withyou someday.” Subaru depicts adad anxiously taking his daughterto the bus for her first day ofkindergarten, then followingin his car, explaining that hedrives a Subaru because he’s“overprotective.”2/3of American menbetween 18 and 34 say beinga good parent is one of themost important things intheir lives, up from 39% in1997, according to the PewResearch CenterImage credit: Google

598. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTMen
are more involved than ever withchild care, but as with householdwork, they may have an inflated senseof just how much they do and howwell they’re doing it. Just 13% of menwould grade themselves lower than aB on child care responsibilities, while28% of women give their partner a C,D or F in this department.And again, the gender gap inperception as to how much mentackle is a wide one, as the charts onthe following two pages illustrate.At least half of men we surveyedsee themselves as responsible fora half-dozen child care tasks, fromdisciplining the kids to driving themto school to reading a bedtime story;by contrast, a wide majority ofwomen consider themselves primarilyresponsible for each and everyresponsibility we listed.FIGURE 8A:Grading men on child care responsibilitiesHow American and British men grade themselves on performance of child careresponsibilities and how American and British women grade their spouse or significant other100%90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%31641313223411210How men grade themselvesHow women grade their spousesI’m alwayson top of it,and I do agreat jobI’m mostlyon top of it,and I do adecent jobI help out,but I’m notso good atthis type ofthingI pitch inoccasionallyI almostneverpitch inA B C D F

628. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTMen
face the sametough decisions as womendo about how to balancecareer and familyI have made sacrificesin my career for thesake of my family orraising my childrenQuite frequently I’ve leftwork early or taken a dayoff to accommodate myfamily’s scheduleMy work is very linked tomy sense of who I am8270656563757270FIGURE 8D:Balancing family and careerPercentage of American and British respondents who agreeMale FemaleMen are less defined by their careers than they once were—and today are slightly less likely than women to say their workis very linked to their sense of self. As many as 8 in 10 men say that balancing career and family can be just as tough formen as for women, with 7 in 10 saying they have made career sacrifices for the sake of family.45% OF MENsay it’s harder being agood father today thanit was 30 years ago

638. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTAs
our data on the previous page shows, balancing family and work is an issue for all parents, dads very much included. Evenas Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg urges men to become more active co-parents, the Pew Research Center reports that 50% ofAmerican dads with kids under 18 say it’s difficult to balance work and their family responsibilities, only slightly laggingAmerican moms who say this (56%). And a third of working dads feel like they’re always rushed, vs. 40% of working mothers.The pressures on men keep expanding: Fathers are taking on a more central family role at atime when jobs can be 24/7 thanks to technology and, in today’s economy, often come withgreater demands. Meanwhile, men may find it difficult to take off for family reasons.Reports the FT: “Studies show that men who take timeoff or request flexibility to care for childrenare perceived by co-workers as ‘weak’ or‘uncompetitive’ and face a greater risk ofbeing demoted or laid off.”The next generations of dads, theguys in their 20s and 30s with wiveswith very responsible jobs who may verylikely earn as much or more than they do,that generation of fathers probably feelsthat their employer may be out of syncwith them in terms of what their lifeexperience is like when they leavethe workplace on anygiven day.”BRADHARRINGTON,executive director,Boston CollegeCenter for Work& FamilyThe raging debate about issuesof ‘work-life balance’ has focused onwhether or not women can ‘have it all.’Entirely lost in this debate is the growingstrain of work-life balance on men, whotoday are feeling the competing demandsof work and home as much or morethan women. And the truth is asshocking as it is obvious: Noone can have it all.”RICHARDDORMENT, “WhyMen Still Can’tHave It All,”Esquire, June/July 20132/3of men agree“Employers assume men willbe there, while women withchildren can put in less timebecause of their families”More than

648. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTThe
issue of paternity leave and workplace flexibility for men is becoming increasingly important as parents try to balance childcare more equally. The first stumbling block is government and employer policies (178 countries guarantee paid maternity leavevs. 54 for paid paternity leave); the second is workplace culture, which tends to stigmatize family-focused men; and the thirdis men themselves, who for various reasons often decline to take leave. Watch for this to become a hot-button issue, especiallyamong Millennial men, who show the most interest in paternity leave.Etsy CEO Chad Dickerson recently took the maximum five weeks’ leave after becoming afather, telling the 2013 Hello Etsy conference in Brooklyn that he wanted to set anexample for employees—which earned him a hearty round of applause. And in SiliconValley, the FT reports, there is “a social push” for fathers to spend time with theirkids, while a talent war is driving generous paternity allowances.[Not spending intensive timewith a newborn] may alwayscause men to be supporting actorsas far as caregiving is concerned.Oftentimes it immediately puts thewoman on the track of being theprimary caregiver andkeeps the man in thatsecondary role.”BRADHARRINGTON,executive director,Boston CollegeCenter for Work& Family72% vs.59%Millennial men are much morelikely than Boomer men to saythey would take a full threemonths of paid paternityleave if it were offered:96%of Americans fathers surveyedtook off two weeks or less fromwork following the birth of theirmost recent child, and 16% tookno time off at all, according toa study by Boston College’sCenter for Work& Family

658. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTFull-time
fathers are becoming more common, a shift the recession has helped to push. In the past decade, the percentage ofAmerican fathers providing full-time child care more than doubled, from 1.6% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011—still a tiny percentage,but one that doesn’t include the dads who do some work while serving as the primary child care provider. As many as two-thirdsof men in our survey said they would stay home with family full time if they could afford it.Two decades ago, simply considering the idea of being a full-time dad would havebeen unusual, observes the Boston College Center for Work & Family’s BradHarrington. But society still expects men to be providers, and Harringtonsays stay-at-home fathers commonly encounter assumptions that theirarrangement is a temporary one. Watch for such assumptions to changequickly as more women start to out-earn men.For the creative, freelance,D.I.Y.-type guy, being a stay-at-home dad feels like a form ofrebellion, like living off the machogrid and showing people that youare not tied to your father’snotion of what men shoulddo on weekdays.”The End of Menauthor Hanna Rosin,“Just Wait Until YourMother Gets Home,”The New York Times,Aug. 10, 20126in10men agree“If one parent needsto stay at home withthe children, it should bethe one who has thelower salary”Image credit: Amazon

668. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTWith
dads much more engaged, parenting itself is changing—and brands are adjusting accordingly. A recent study in the Journalof Consumer Research reports that at-home dads take a different approach than moms, allowing riskier playground behaviorand being more spontaneous, for instance. We’re seeing “a masculinization of domestic tasks and routines” as men create an“alternative model of home life that is outdoorsy, playful and more technology-oriented,” says the study’s lead author, ChapmanUniversity marketing professor Gokcen Coskuner-Balli, in The Wall Street Journal.Brands are taking note as dads do more shopping for, playing with andgenerally caring for kids. It’s one reason Mattel has introduced a Barbieconstruction set, in partnership with Mega Bloks. And look no furtherthan Maclaren’s new BMW Buggy stroller, which “captures engineeringexcellence and innovative materials to deliver the ultimate strollingexperience”; marketing features a chic dad and his daughter.A commercial for Renault shows men putting their own spin onparenting, conveying that “Fathers will always be men.” Four malesoccer fans in a Renault are singing “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” in hushedtones; the reason becomes clearwhen we see the men stop tohand a baby to his mother beforeheading to a match and nowsinging at top volume.Image credits: Maclaren; Renault

678. RISE OF THE CO-PARENTIn
the era of the co-parent, it’s out with the “doofus dad,” the bumbling father who’s long been a media (and advertising) staple.This stock character is now both at odds with the times and simply a poor strategy, given that dads are an increasingly importanttarget for brands. Plus, fathers are fighting back: “We’re trying to help brands understand that nobody appreciates or relates toads that portray dads as clueless and uninterested parents,” Doug French, co-founder of Dad 2.0 Summit, told a reporter.Last year, Huggies learned a clear lesson in what not to do afterairing a reality-style spot in which moms got “some well-deservedtime off” while several dads and their babies shared a housefor five days. Said the voiceover: “To prove Huggies diapers andwipes can handle anything, we put them to the toughest testimaginable: dads, alone with their babies.” One father starteda Change.org petition that got signatures from offended dads aswell as moms. In response, the brand tweaked the ad, removingthe negative connotations. A Huggies exec told The New YorkTimes that a valuable lesson was learned: “Dads do not wantto be treated differently, and they do not want to be treatedfoolishly.”Image credit: Change.org

9. Equal rights for…men?10. Chivalry
lives (mostly)Men’s place in the world vis-à-viswomen is rapidly changing. Withmen becoming less dominant, mostfeel men have it just as hard aswomen these days. Still, most menbelieve chivalry remains relevant,even if fewer actually practiceclassic “gentlemanly” behaviors.Image credit: petertandlund 68NAVIGATING THE NEW GENDER ORDER

69One book has dramatically declared
“The End of Men,” others talk about “The Female Century.” Whereas 56% of women wesurveyed believe that men are becoming less dominant in society, as many as 70% of men agree. While a culture where maleprivilege is baked in hasn’t altogether disappeared (e.g., salary differentials), for years men have been losing ground orbecoming less essential, whether it’s the widening education gap between the genders, the rise in women choosing to havechildren on their own, or the shift away from manufacturing-based economies.Men feel it’s become harder to be a man today, and harder to succeed in theworking world and as a father and husband. And that’s left a significantnumber with some reservations about the focus on women’s rights.Watch for a rise in male-focused support systems and advocacy groupsas society comes to understand that many men would be well servedby some of the mechanisms in place to boost women.7in10men agree“Men are becoming lessdominant in society”We have to nurture boysand young men as we have girlsand young women. Advocating forboys and men, however, is simply notdone. The idea that men have untoldsocietal advantages is so firmlyingrained in the American psychethat to suggest otherwise isseen as offensive.”Editor-in-chiefDAVID GRANGER,editor’s letter,Esquire, June/July 20139. EQUAL RIGHTS FOR…MEN?

70We arebeginning to look at
menas looking more like thedisadvantaged group andwomen looking morelike the advantagedgroup.”An urban Indianmasculinity that is neither prescriptivenor precise is resulting in rampant confusion,anxiety, and insecurity about what theappropriate manifestation of male-ness is in Indiatoday. … This vulnerability has been exacerbatedby the complete lack of any precedent for howto navigate the waters in a world where allassumptions and conditioning of male-superiorityand entitlement are no longer valid, andheightened by dramatically changing 21stcentury female roles, identities,and expectationsin India.”MARY CURNOCK COOK,head of the U.K.’sUniversities and CollegesAdmissions Service,“Ucas: Men are becoming‘disadvantagedgroup,’” The Telegraph,March 19, 2013SATYAMVISWANATHAN,“Masculinity: A semioticand cultural explorationin India,” ESOMAR,April 2013It is undeniable that menand boys as a distinct group face significantproblems. The gap between men and womenapplying to, and entering, university is growing.They are much more likely to commit crimethan women, be homeless, and, between2006 and 2010, for every single age groupmen were significantly more likely thanwomen to take their own lives.”“Howtackling the ‘crisisof masculinity’creates a crisis forfeminism,”The Guardian,May 15, 20139. EQUAL RIGHTS FOR…MEN?

71A majority of male respondents
feel that it’s harder for mento live up to society’s expectations than it was 30 years agoand that life in general is harder for men—just 1 in 5 say lifeis easier today. Other aspects of life feel harder too. Manywomen aren’t empathizing; they’re not nearly as likely tosee things as harder for men.Are men feeling slighted or resentful about the rise ofwomen? Forty-five percent of men say they fully supportgender equality and that it’s an important issue (withMillennial men more likely to agree) … which leaves manymen with qualms or quibbles about its effect on men.FIGURE 9A:Life feels harder for men todayPercentage of American and British respondents who say each factor iseasier than it was 30 years ago minus the percentage who say it is harderCourtship/datingBeing a good husbandBeing a good fatherLife in generalLiving up to society’sexpectationsSucceeding professionally-17-19-23-33-40-42-4-75-12-26-25Male FemaleHARDER EASIER8 in10men agreethings arejust as hardfor men”that “While people arealways talking about howdifficult women have it,9. EQUAL RIGHTS FOR…MEN?

72In Mexico, men have traditionally
been the ultimateauthority of the home, but gender lines are being redrawn.A 2011 commercial for motor oil brand Roshfrans seeks toreassure men that while they may have lost some power,they can still be master of one domain: the car. “It is timethat we as men recognize something in our lives is changing,”says the voiceover as we see that even the football stadiumis no longer a male-dominated arena, with a pack of womenogling a player’s hot body. A man prepares dinner with a babyat the hip while his wife makes calls and uses the computer.Husbands look perplexed as their wives gain control of theTV remote and the closet. “At Roshfrans we understandthat there’s less and less space for you,” the voiceoversympathizes. “That’s why we keep safe your last refugee,your car.”Image credit: Roshfrans9. EQUAL RIGHTS FOR…MEN?

73Has the traditional concept of
being a gentleman become outdated? Many believe so: 80% of Americans, for instance, saywomen are treated with less chivalry than in the past, according to a 2010 Harris poll. And some regard this as a good thing,putting women on more equal footing with men. It’s a confusing, murky realm for men today, but our survey found that manystill think that chivalrous traditions are relevant—though somewhat fewer actually practice them.A LOTOF PRIDE1/3when they open doors or pullout chairs for other people7IN10GENTLEMANmen say that havinggood manners/being ais one of the primary things thatdefine men today—but only 55%of Millennial men say soCHIVALROUSSEXIST?Men are split—53% believethis is true (vs. 43%of women)of men say they feelCan men no longer appear to bewithout appearing10. CHIVALRY LIVES (MOSTLY)

7410. CHIVALRY LIVES (MOSTLY)FIGURE 10A:Chivalry
supported in theoryPercentage of American and British men who say each of the following ideas about being agentleman is still relevantMillennials (18-34) Gen Xers (35-47) Boomers (48-67)A clear majority of men believe that various traditionally chivalrous behaviors are still relevant. And in a few instances,Millennials are more apt than older generations to see these behaviors as relevant.Holding the dooropen for a woman85%848190Paying for most dates 53%585349Paying for a first date 67%716764Making the first move 34%463126Pulling out a chairfor a woman66%607267Ordering for awoman when outat a restaurant22%302314Letting a woman exitor enter a door first 81%778086Walking on the“outside” of a womanwhen on the street54%524861Millennials (18-34) Gen Xers (35-47) Boomers (48-67)

7510. CHIVALRY LIVES (MOSTLY)Holding the
dooropen for a woman74%637585Walking on the“outside” of a womanwhen on the street47%394755Letting a woman exitor enter a door first70%527583Making the first move 27%273025Paying for most dates 57%465470Ordering for awoman when outat a restaurant12%14147Paying for a first date 70%637078Pulling out a chairfor a woman38%344040There’s a gap between belief and action: For instance, two-thirds of men believe it’s not outdated to pull out a chair for awoman, versus 38% who say they almost always do so.FIGURE 10B:Chivalry in practicePercentage of American and British men who say they almost always do each of the followingMillennials (18-34) Gen Xers (35-47) Boomers (48-67)

77APPENDIX: MORE ABOUT OUR EXPERTS/INFLUENCERSJON
BERRY, VP, GfK Consumer Trends, GfK Consumer Experiences North AmericaBerry has been studying consumer and societal trends for the past two decades for GfK Consumer Trends. He has played akey role in identifying, explaining and helping clients act on some of the most important trends in the domestic and globalconsumer marketplace, from the rise of self-reliance to the growth of word-of-mouth and grassroots consumer activism tothe post-Great Recession trend of “living on the other side of change.”Berry is also co-author of the business book The Influentials, which examines the increasing importance of word-of-mouthand consumer influencers. It was named one of the best business books of the year by the American Marketing Association. He is also the leadthinker on many of GfK Consumer Trends’ reports. Recent topics include “Health & Wellness: The Future Arrives” and “Marketing to the ElusiveModern Male.” He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.YANG-YI GOH, fashion editor, Sharp magazineGoh is the fashion editor of Sharp, Canada’s leading men’s lifestyle magazine, and Sharp: The Book for Men, a premiumbiannual publication. A graduate of New York University, Goh began his career as a senior researcher at ESPN TheMagazine. He is the author of two educational graphic novels, Ninja and Alien Inventor, and the co-founder of the men’slifestyle website Handlebar Magazine. His writing and photography have appeared in publications such as Men’s Journal,GQ and TechNewsDaily. Goh is a long-suffering fan of the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tottenham Hotspur.ARMANDO GOMEZ, director of advertising and promotions, AskMenGomez joined AskMen in January 2000 as part of the original executive team. The men’s lifestyle site holds the No. 1position for the male online lifestyle category, earning the loyalty of 19 million readers each month. During his tenureat AskMen, Gomez has held a variety of management and operational roles, including editor-in-chief and director of adoperations.With Gomez’s support, AskMen achieved profitability after its first year of operation, in the midst of the dot-com crash. Hewas also instrumental in building the original editorial team. Gomez has secured accounts with premium international brands including Gillette,Porsche, BMW, HBO, Apple, Bacardi, GM, Google, Microsoft and Pepsi. Gomez graduated with honors from the John Molson School of Business.

78APPENDIX: MORE ABOUT OUR EXPERTS/INFLUENCERSBRAD
HARRINGTON, executive director, Boston College Center for Work & Family, and professor,Carroll School of ManagementThe Center for Work & Family is the United States’ leading university-based research center focused on helping employers intheir efforts to improve the lives of working people and their families. It has 100 corporate members, including many of theworld’s most progressive, well-respected employers.Prior to his arrival at Boston College, Dr. Harrington was an executive with Hewlett-Packard for 20 years, serving in a widerange of global leadership assignments in the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Harrington’s research and teaching focuses on career management andwork-life integration, the changing role of fathers, contemporary workforce management strategies and organizational change. He is a frequentkeynote speaker and has published numerous journal articles, book chapters and research reports. He holds a bachelor’s degree in businessadministration from Stonehill College, a master’s degree in psychology from Boston College and a doctorate in human resource developmentand organizational behavior from Boston University.ANDY TU, SVP of marketing, Break MediaBreak Media is a Los Angeles-based digital media company and the largest creator and producer of male-targeted videoand content online. The company owns and operates the Web’s largest humor property, Break.com, as well as lifestyle siteMade Man and leading brands across verticals including gaming, MMA and humor. Every month, Break Media connects withover 50 million men across the Web, mobile, connected devices and YouTube.In 2012, Tu and his team developed the Acumen Report, a study reflecting the state of the modern man that included in-depth qualitative research and video with men 18-49 combined with a 2,000-person survey. Prior to Break Media, Tu worked in sales strategyand account management at AOL to help develop and execute integrated campaigns for AOL’s advertising partners. Tu is a proud Nebraskanative and lives in L.A. with his wife.